Clash of the Titans (1981)
An early 80,s adventure film revolving around greek mythology. It is most notable for its stop motion animation created by the legendary Ray Harryhausen. CAST *Harry Hamlin as Perseus *Judy Bowker as Andromeda *Burgess Meredith as Ammon *Maggie Smith as Thetis *Ursula Andress as Aphrodite *Claire Bloom as Hera *Sian Phillips as Cassiopeia *Flora Robson as Stygian Witch *Laurence Olivier as Zeus *Jack Gwillim as Poseidon *Susan Fleetwood as Athena *Pat Roach as Hephaestus Director: Desmond Davis Writer: Beverly Cross Music: Laurence Rosenthal PLOT "Clash of the Titans" revolves around Perseus, whose father was the greek god Zeus and whose mother was Danae a human and daughter to King Acricius of Argos. After the birth of Perseus, Acricius sealed his daughter and her new baby into a coffin and set them adrift at sea. This angered Zeus who ordered Poseidon to set loose the Kraken (a titan and giant monster of the sea) to destroy King Acricius the city of Argos and its people. Meanwhile the coffin carrying Danae and Poseidon floats safely to the isle of Seriphos. Perseus grows to maturity in Seripos untill one night while laying at the beach he is transported by the godess Thetis to the colluseum in the great city of Joppa. At the colluseum Zeus presents Perseus with three gifts from the gods. A sword that can cut through stone, a shield and a helmet that renders its wearer invisible. Meanwhile in the city of Joppa, Calibos son of the godess Thetis was set to marry the princess Andromeda untill he was punished by Zeus for his crueltys by being turned into a hideous beast and being banished to the swamps. As revenge Thetis put a curse on Andromeda where any suitor would have to answer a riddle and if he failed to answer correctly would be burned at the stake. Perseus being smithen by Andromeda uses his helmet and power of invisibility to sneak into Andromedas bed chamber at night where he witnesses her being visited by a giant vulture that carries her away in a cage. On a subsequent visit by the vulture he decides to follow by riding Pegasus a flying horse. He follows them to the swamp where he observes Andromeda being given the next riddle for the next suitor to answer by Calibos. After Andromeda leaves to return to her home in Joppa, Perseus and Calibos have an encounter in the swamp wich ends with Perseus cutting off the left hand of Calibos. Perseus presents himself as the next suitor to Andromeda correctly answering the riddle and presenting the left hand of Calibus at the feet of Andromeda. Angered by the turn of events Thetis disrupts the ceremony demanding that in thirty days time Andromeda be given to the Kraken as a sacrifice or else the city of Joppa would be destroyed. Perseus along with a group of warriors go on a journey to discover a means to destroy the Kraken. At first they visit a coven of three blind witches wich can only see through a shared glass eye. Perseus is told by the witches that the only way to defeat the Kraken is by getting him to look into the eyes of Medusa. One glance into the eyes of Medusa is said to turn you into stone. The warriors venture to the isle of the dead where Medusa is said to reside. Medusa is a large snake like creature with living snakes for hair. Perseus uses the reflection from his shield to observe Medusa and cut her head off with his sword. Keeping Medusas head concealed in a bag for the return trip to Joppa. During that night their camp is visited by Calibos who stabs the head of Medusa (still concealed in a sack and hanging from a tree) with a sword. The drops of blood that drip out of the sack are transformed into giant scorpions. During the ensuing battle between the giant scorpions and Persues and his men Calibos is finally slain. After the battle Perseus decides to rush back to Joppa flying on the back of Pegasus. Perseus arrives in Joppa just in time as Andromeda is about to be sacrificed to the great titan the Kraken. Perseus saves Andromeda and the great city of Joppa by showing the Kraken Medusas head and turning him into stone. In the end Perseus and Andromeda are finally wed. SEQUELS AND REMAKES *Force of the Trojans (1984 - unproduced sequel) *Clash of the Titans (2010 - remake) *Wrath of the Titans (2012) Category:Sword and Sandal